At a time when gaming is increasingly moving to the online world, where players communicate through headphones from their own rooms, a small community in Gornji Kuršanec decided to return things to the old way - and show why it is still special. There, enthusiasts are gathered around the association Fellowship of the LAN (hereinafter FOTL) started events that revive the spirit of former LAN parties, places where games were played "over the wire", with real contact, laughter and togetherness.
From a humble idea to a full house, their events quickly attracted not only registered players, but also passers-by, children and the curious who spontaneously joined the game or at least witnessed an atmosphere rarely seen today. It is this combination of nostalgia and authentic socializing that has become the reason why LAN culture - at least here - is making a comeback.
For Virus.hr, we talked to Filip Jurisag, who is behind this initiative, and tried to find out what the organization of a modern retro LAN party looks like, why this way of playing is gaining popularity again, and whether this story can grow into something even bigger.
How did the idea for FOTL come about?
[foogallery id="18169"]The idea for FOTL was born slowly, throughout life - but concretely came together during our recent round 30 birthdays. At one such gathering, friends from childhood gathered, precisely from the time when PC games and LAN socializing were a big part of our growing up. We were looking at old photos from the early 2000s – around 2004 – where we were all gathered around one computer. It wasn't just games. These were conversations, exchange of experiences and different views on gaming. Someone wanted to finish the game as quickly as possible. Someone researched every detail. Someone played on the hardest settings and through constant attempts looked for a way to pass a certain section. Each person had their own approach - but we were all together. Those photos and conversations opened the question: where did that way of socializing disappear? Through conversations with my beloved wife, I went through my childhood again, explaining how everything looked then and how I see it today. It was those moments that helped me better understand who I am and what kind of friends I was surrounded by. We grew up in the center of Čakovec, where there were several PC gaming rooms, but one left a special mark - MCX Marconix. It was a gathering place, a place where community was created. As a child, I had a wish to one day have such a place - to play games all day and have the "best computer". Today, I have a different understanding of what happiness means in life, but that idea has never gone away. Over time, we talked more and more about how gaming has changed. Today, everything is online, wireless and remote. It is not the same to play online and to be physically in the same room. It's easy to give up online - you press ESC and exit. But when you're in the same room as the team, that's just not an option.
How hard is it to throw a LAN party these days anyway?
Organizing a LAN party is feasible today, but it requires a good network of people who have the will, interest and willingness to spare their time. Today we are adults, we have families and other obligations, so free time is limited - and this is a reality for all of us. During that period, I read The Lord of the Rings and realized how important it is that everyone contributes in their own way - through the knowledge, experience and tools they have. This is how the name of the association was born - Fellowship of the LAN (FOTL). Through conversations with people, I saw that there is interest and a lot of good ideas. We began to put together "piece by piece" - from the technical part to the organization itself - and at the same time we got additional education in the areas that were needed. In this process, other people who recognized the idea began to get involved, so we built the story together, each one through their knowledge, time and contribution. We also had to learn how to establish an association in the first place - what is needed for it to exist legally and how to request the use of the community center for holding events. Over time, we gathered the team and divided the roles - everyone took on the part in which they can contribute the most. David took over the technical part of the infrastructure - from electricity to assembling and training the donated computers, while Dino runs the LAN program, starts the servers within the games and makes sure that everything is organized and fair for all participants. Without that team, this story would not be possible. FOTL is not the project of one person, but the result of the joint effort of people who recognized the same idea. The biggest challenge, however, was getting people together again. We talked to a lot of people, aware that due to the great interest, only a small part of them will actually come to the event.
Participation and applications
Participation is open to everyone who shares an interest in gaming, socializing and that "old LAN feeling". Due to limited space and technical conditions, it is necessary to register in advance so that we can organize the number of places and ensure that everything works as it should. The first three LAN parties were free, with mandatory registration. As the project grows, real costs also appear - from fuel and space maintenance to organization and prizes for competitions. That's why we will introduce a minimum donation from the fourth LAN party, so that we can better organize the event, cover basic costs and improve the long-term experience for all participants. The goal is not to charge for arrival, but to enable FOTL to last together.
What kind of computers is it played on?
The games are mostly played on modern computers, but the games themselves are retro. This means that we use today's computers for stability and simplicity, but we play titles that marked a different time, such as Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4, Counter-Strike 1.6, Warcraft 3 or Unreal Tournament. Part of the participants bring their computers, which additionally gives that real LAN feeling, but through the development of the association, we also provided our own equipment. Thanks to the donations, we collected a large number of computers, monitors and other equipment, and we assembled ten computers and prepared them for use at the event itself. Much of that equipment came precisely through the people who decided to help and support the story. We have thus enabled those who do not have their own equipment to register and simply come - sit down and play. Of course, there is also a desire for real retro computers. We already have an idea to further develop a retro corner, where we would place an old CRT monitor, a recognizable "white" case and other equipment from that time - like a small museum corner that takes us back to the beginnings of PC gaming. The point is not in the technology, but in the experience - playing together in the same room. Retro gear is part of that story, but what we're really bringing back is gameplay and community.
Participant response and impressions
[foogallery id="18165"]We are very pleased with the turnout, especially considering how everything went. We called the first LAN "the first working LAN party" because we were not yet completely ready - neither with the equipment nor with the games. Given that we all have our own commitments and lives, it was not easy to arrange everything in advance, so we decided to make an event through which we will simultaneously work and spontaneously dance. That first meeting was more than just playing - we put together the equipment, stretched the LAN cables, set up the consoles, but also immediately started living what we wanted to create. Even then, it was felt that this story made sense - not only to us who started it, but to everyone who participated. The second LAN was the first one we opened to the public. 17 participants signed up, and they were joined by locals, friends and family - some just to support, and some out of curiosity to see what it looks like. The third LAN was the largest so far. 20 participants signed up, and more people came who wanted to see what we were doing and eventually joined the game themselves. At that LAN, we also had the first mini-competition with the support of sponsors, which further raised the atmosphere and gave a new dimension to the whole event. The greatest value of all is people's reactions. People don't just come to play - they come to hang out, remember the old times and feel again what they once had. The best thing is to see when someone comes "just to look" and ends up playing all night.
Further plans
Our plan is to hold LAN parties once a month, with a break during the summer months. Our goal is not only to organize events, but to gradually build the community and raise the quality of each subsequent LAN. As we grow, we want to improve the infrastructure, expand the number of places and further develop the content - from mini competitions to a retro exhibition corner. The PlayStation 5 corner is also planned, where fighting games and football simulations will be played, as additional content for participants. In addition to the events themselves, we are also active on social networks such as Facebook and Instagram, where we regularly post content related to FOTL. On Fridays, we publish the FOTL Retro Report – a short reminder of the games that marked certain years and what they brought new, along with some photos from the game. On Saturdays, there is FOTL Retro Press, where we share the pages of old gaming magazines that we still keep from childhood, such as Hacker, PC Play or Enter. On Sundays we post FOTL Gameplay, short video clips of gameplay that we still love to turn on and play today. In this way, FOTL is not only active at events, but also during the week, where we additionally connect people through shared nostalgia and gaming culture. We see FOTL as a long-term story that we build together – not just as an event, but as a community of people who share the same feeling for games and socializing. FOTL isn't just a return to games – it's a return to people.
Thank you for the conversation and we wish you much success in the further organization of the LAN party.
